


closure

by life_unsolved



Category: LA by Night, Vampire: The Masquerade, Vampire: The Masquerade- L.A. By Night (Web Series)
Genre: F/M, I don't know what this is and I don't care to find out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-11
Updated: 2019-07-11
Packaged: 2020-06-26 14:43:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19770385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/life_unsolved/pseuds/life_unsolved
Summary: He could see the worry mixed with that same thing he’d seen earlier. It was so foreign to see her this way. Nelli had never been jealous when it came to Victor.Victor dances with a friend.





	closure

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this and I hated it, and so I worked on it a little more and hate it a lot less. I'm not really sure what it's meant to be, but there's a lot of dancing so. That's cool I guess. Still no beta, so all my mistakes are mine. Feel free to call them out or leave advice in the comments! I mostly listened to C7osure by Lil Nas X, but occasionally I switched to Work Out by J. Cole.

“Can I get anything else for you, sir?” The bartender asked, sliding his whiskey forward across the dark wood of the counter. He could smell it even at this distance, bitter and sharp. He tried to bite back a grimace, picking up the glass and shaking his head.

“This is great, thank you.” 

He took a sip for show, letting the disgusting liquid sink into his stomach. The man nodded at him, turning his attention to the gentle stream of people that had begun to line up at the bar in the VIP section of the club. He could still taste the whiskey on his tongue, and he sighed. That wasn’t going to be very pleasant to cough up later.

He walked to the glass pane overlooking the main dance floor. The Maharani had been packed every night since its opening. With the Maharajah being gone, it was the only club of its kind in the area. He let himself reminisce about his first real success in the industry. Club Maharajah was supposed to be a part of his legacy, a shining jewel in East Hollywood that would carry his name forever. These days, it was a heap of brick and ash. _All the Baron’s horses and all the Baron’s men couldn’t put the club back together again._ He pushed the thought away.

The new club was gorgeous. It rose around the surrounding buildings like a beacon, guiding eager patrons through its doors. It was industrial and modern, its every corner seemed shrouded in mystery. It was as if the building was begging to be explored, and many of their guests had been more than happy to comply. 

It had Nelli written all over it, which was good because Victor wasn’t the best at interior design. He remembered picking out different woods and paint for the Maharajah to the best of his ability, but he could admit now that the last series of renovations had been sorely needed. It was a shame no one else had ever gotten to see it. He would miss the Maharajah forever, but the Maharani was already more like home. The others seemed to think so too.

He hadn’t expected everyone to abandon their homes and start living with him, but they all started gravitating to the club more as time went on. Waking up to find Mark in the kitchen had become a pleasant new normal. Watching his son and Annabelle head down into her suite at night made his stomach turn with fear and joy. His son was right there in front of him, there was no need to hide. He was happy and mostly safe. Sometimes, Victor was content to just watch the two of them go back and forth, only interrupting to argue with Annabelle in the way they’d grown to love.

Jasper still preferred his own space, but he still found the Nosferatu stocking his room with books and extra clothes one night. They all seemed to be newer copies, nothing from his personal collection, but it was a start. Jasper seemed more open to the idea of the Maharani than the Maharajah, even if just barely. Victor had wondered if Jasper would’ve appreciated some plants to keep him company, and made a note to ask Eva about the kinds that encouraged safety and luck. Jasper was in desperate need of both these nights. He had watched contentedly from Jasper’s doorway until he was spotted.

Jasper had merely growled at him, putting down the poster he’d been trying to hang. “If I have to be stuck here, I might as well be comfortable.” He walked over to the duffel bag on his bed, not meeting Victor’s eyes as he picked up a few items of clothing. Jasper began hanging black hoodies and cowls in the closet, shutting the closet doors a little more firmly than necessary. Victor had done his best to suppress his smile, trying not to give Jasper an excuse to pack up his notes and head back into the Labyrinth. 

Victor held up his hands defensively, “I wasn’t- You can- This is your space, man. Do what you’d like down here. If you want, I could have like a cage installed?” The answering snarl and door slam had him chuckling all the way back to the top floor. 

Nelli was the same. She hated the basement in the Maharajah, and when they went over the plans for the new club, she’d shoved him aside, putting them both on the upper levels. The Thorn floor was a masterpiece. Her office, design space, meeting rooms, and her living quarters were all on the floor below his. She’d put her heart and soul, and most of their shared bank account into the space. The look on her face when they’d first walked through it had been worth every penny.

She still had her own haven. The woman loved her personal space almost as much as she loved invading his, but he found that more often than not he would wake up to her walking around giving out orders like she owned the place. Which technically, she kind of did. Still, it was nice to see her at ease in her new position. It was nice to feel like they’d built something together. 

He looked out into the sea of mortals that gathered for tonight’s show. 

He could see his men in dark suits circling the packed bodies, occasionally disappearing into the fray and returning with someone in hand. They liked to keep the place comfortable for all their guests, which meant that plenty of over-eager frat boys had their nights ended early.

Chocolate Drop was preparing to debut a new single. He was impressed with the kid, she worked hard. The music reverberating through the club was her first album, mixed almost beyond recognition. He could feel the bass in his chest and continued to watch the mass of bodies sway to the beat. He saw a few excited fans waving, and he raised his glass at them, winking.

The main hall was huge, with a dark marble dance floor. There was a long bar that took up the entirety of the back wall, and tables clustered on either side. The DJ booth was set up near the front of the dance floor on a high platform. It was big enough for his artists to have backup dancers and room to perform.

He watched for a few more moments, looking for any disturbances in the crowd. Not seeing anything, he started to look for any sign of Annabelle or Mark before shaking his head. Half the coterie was out tonight, hanging with the Valkyries and Baron Nines to go over different strategies. He and Nelli were supposed to be holding the Camarilla’s attention to try to take the pressure off their most vulnerable members.

He made sure to wave at a few more fans before, satisfied, he turned back to the VIP section. He started making his rounds, walking to each table and greeting guests. The back corners held large booths, with red curtains tied back. The few dark tables were overly large, easily seating ten or more. The space could hold a hundred people comfortably, but he had no intention of letting it get that full tonight.

There were probably less than fifty mortals lounging around, waiting for the performance or trying to get closer to him. He happily obliged. He took pictures, shook hands, and made some introductions, mostly other between other producers and their latest meal tickets. A security guard winked at him as he passed, and he chuckled as he waved back. Mr. Golden had gotten a little too comfortable in his club for Victor’s taste, but he was polite. He always stopped to say hello before he left, even if that sometimes meant right as he was walking out the door. 

Victor made his way back towards the corner booth. The curtains were drawn, and he rolled his eyes. They were supposed to be working, but he wasn’t surprised that she’d holed herself up back here. A party meant fun, no matter the occasion. He grabbed a bottle of champagne from a waiter as he made his way back, hoping that he could coax her into making another appearance with him before she got too deep into someone.

“Darling, can I borrow you for a second?” He knocked as he spoke, hitting against the back of the round booth. There was some quiet shuffling and gentle whispers before the curtains parted slightly. He stepped into the secluded area, fixing the curtains behind him.

Brad waved at him dejectedly as he came into view, and as the table was exposed to him, he saw why. Isaac Abrams stared at him, expression neutral. Victor schooled his face into a cool, pleasant expression. He set the bottled down on the table in front of Brad, “That’s for you, buddy. I thought you might need it.”

Brad stared for a brief moment, before he stuttered out a quiet, “Thanks.” Victor had never been anything more than tolerant to the man. This was probably the nicest thing he’d ever done for him, besides occasionally making sure he was on the guest list. He turned his attention to the reason he was with probably the two most aggravating men in his club. 

Nelli was underneath Isaac Abrams’ arm, looking impossibly cozy. He wondered if that should bother him more now that he actively wanted to kill the man, but he didn’t feel any of the usual outrage. She didn’t meet his gaze at first, staring at Abrams like he was the only person in the room. Victor was used to that. He sighed a little, relaxing his shoulders and trying to force his features into a more natural expression. There was no reason to be jealous at this point. Abrams had fucked them both.

“Victor,” Abrams leaned back, “It’s good to see you.” He settled into the seat deliberately, getting comfortable as if he was daring Victor to say something about it. He thought about killing the man where he sat for five seconds as he willed his temper back under his control, his Beast hissing in his ear. Nelli gave him a pointed eyebrow like she knew what he was thinking, and Victor didn’t spare her a glance.

“It’s nice to see you as well, sir.” Victor was pleased that it didn’t sound like the _‘fuck you’_ it was. 

Abrams nodded back at him, and Victor pressed on, not wanting to allow himself time to slip up. “I wasn’t aware you’d be attending tonight’s little event, or I would have seen to you earlier.” He smiled with his teeth, allowing his fangs to get a little longer. He stood up taller, trying to subtly neaten his slacks, and straighten his dark jacket. He risked a quick look at his shoes, and was pleased to see the leather gleaming against the dark tile.

Isaac chuckled humorlessly, “I’m sure you would have. Luckily, Nelli here has been taking perfect care of me. I’m afraid I’m going to need to borrow her for just a bit longer. I’m sure you understand.”

Abrams tightened his arm around her, turning to give her an adoring look. She smiled back at him brightly, and Victor considered it a win when he didn’t roll his eyes. She was beautiful, she didn’t wear dresses too often these nights, but when she did, he sure as hell remembered. It was gorgeous, and the blood red fabric seemed to sing against her skin. She would be even more beautiful if she bothered to look in his direction. _Fucking Toreadors,_ “Of course, sir. I’ve got this. You enjoy the rest of your evening, let me know if there’s anything I can do for you.”

Abrams barely glanced at him. “Thanks, Victor. I’m sure we’ll be fine.” Nelli gave him a small smile as he backed out of their little cove. Brad seemed even more dejected as he left, and he felt bad for the guy. Nelli was Nelli, but Brad was only human. Victor wondered how much further she could push him before he snapped. With the way Brad stared at her, Victor figured she had nothing to worry about. He patted the man on the shoulder as he turned around.

“Bye, Victor,” Brad called sadly after him.

“Bye, Brad.”

He ignored the sounds of the curtains closing as he walked away, waiting for the jealousy to hit him. There was nothing other than the pangs of rage and annoyance that seemed to come up whenever Abrams was mentioned. He waited for a second longer, trying to will something to the surface. Nothing came. 

_That’s new._

He switched his drink out with another patron and brought the empty glass back to the bar.

“Another one, sir?”

He shook his head, not sparing the guy a second glance. He was half tempted to go up to his office and keep watch in case Abrams tried anything. He was still debating when Anitra walked over to him, breaking away from whichever up and coming star she was prying into. She ordered a rum and coke, pulling out a stool and sitting next to him, facing away from the bar.

“Hey, Boss. How’s it going?” She looked out over the crowd as she spoke, and the gesture seemed familiar. Her hair fell is neat curls over one of her bare shoulders and silhouetted her profile. He could see a silver pendant peeking out from the deep cut of her blouse.

He pulled out the stool behind him and sat down, resting his back against the counter behind him. “It’s going.” She nodded at him, and he shifted between watching her and watching the crowd.

She had always reminded him of a younger, nearly as ambitious version of himself. That was one of the things he liked about her. If he was in the business of taking lives, she would have made an excellent Ventrue. He could almost feel it in her.

“Get anything good?” 

She scoffed, pausing to take a quick sip of her drink, “With the stuff I’ve got, I’m expecting a raise.” 

He chuckled, stealing her drink from her and taking a sip before handing it back. It was just as vile as the first one, but at least she’d see him acting human up close. He leaned back against the bar, taking a quick moment to make sure that the Blush wasn’t going to abandon him anytime soon.

“Let me see what you’ve got first, then we can talk raises.” He didn’t need to see her to know she was rolling her eyes, and he smirked. He had gotten to know the young woman well over the past few months, and one of the things he loved about her was her attitude. She would grow to be formidable, he was sure of it.

“Have you been on the dance floor at all tonight, Boss?”

He shook his head, turning to look at her. “No partner,” he said, waiting for the urge to look for Nelli to kick in. It didn’t. He was almost concerned. He hadn’t been this apathetic to her in years, and lately the draw he felt had only grown stronger. He knew it was getting stronger for her too. She would hold his hand for no reason, and found excuses to work near him. They went almost everywhere together and wrote it off as being safe. Sometimes, he would look up to see her watching him, and sometimes when she caught him watching her, she didn’t look surprised at all. It had turned into a near constant awareness of each other. It was disconcerting to be abandoned by that, to feel unattached.

There were a few moments of silence and she took another long drag from her glass, before she tipped her head back, finishing it off. He was half-worried, half-impressed. She was thin. He was sure she was going to start feeling that sooner rather than later. She swiveled towards him, “I’ll be your partner.”

He blinked at her in surprise. “You?”

She stretched, pushing her arms behind her back. “Yeah, me. We’ve got to support Chocolate Drop, and you haven’t been seen with commoners all night. It’s good to act human once in a while.”

He let out a startled laugh, subtly scanning her face for anything that betrayed her. She was totally relaxed, rolling her head and warming up. She didn’t seem like she was fucking with him.

“I don’t dance much. Bad leg,” he said, tapping his formerly busted knee. She rolled her eyes at him, standing up and adjusting her skirt back down to its proper height, which wasn’t much lower. The material glimmered a brilliant copper in the dim lighting of the club and clung to her like a second skin even as she shimmied it down.

“Come on, I’m not asking you to tango. It’s just one dance. For the label,” she stressed, reaching out to pull him up. He was thankful that the Blush would keep him warm to her touch.

He sighed as he let her pull him to his feet, “One dance. One! For Chocolate Drop.” 

Anitra nodded sagely. “For Chocolate Drop. You’re a saint, Victor. I don’t know how you do it.” He pulled a face, mock glaring at her for a moment as she began to lead him down the private stairway to the main dance floor. 

He nodded at his security as they lifted the rope separating the VIP section from the masses, coming onto the floor of the main hall in between the two sections of the bar that lined the back of his club. Anitra led him into the crowd a little way, letting him pause to speak to guests and taking pictures when asked. 

They settled into the edges of the mob, not wanting to go too far and get rushed. He felt a sudden swarm of nerves crawl over him. He had really only danced with Nelli over the years, and that mostly consisted of letting her twist around him and trying not to get in the way. He tried to relax and Anitra turned to him, starting to move in time with the music.

She eyed him for a moment before she got closer, putting his hands on her waist and wrapping her arms around him. She was tall, tall enough to make this kind of dancing work for them, and he was grateful as she began to gently lead him into a sort of sway that could be interpreted as dancing.

She leaned into him, yelling in his ear, “You make music for a living, and you can’t dance. How the hell does that work?”

He laughed, shrugging his shoulders a little. He tried to loosen up, following her movements and trying not to step on anyone as they danced. She sped up, turning around and covering his hands with hers, closing her eyes to focus on the music. He felt the bass and tried to mimic her movements. She turned her head towards him, grinning madly and yelling, “You’ve got it!” as the music began to pick up and morph into something a little faster. 

She backed into him as the bodies packed in tighter, and he moved his hands to steady her. He looked down, wincing at the wickedly tall, thin stilettos that graced her. It was a miracle she could stand under her own power with the way the crowd was beginning to move. He leaned forward, pulling her tighter to keep her balanced. “How do you walk in those things?”

She shrugged, turning to face him again, loosely draping her arms over him, “It’s a gift.” She tucked into him a little, and the beat shifted again as something darker took over the space. The beat was dirty and familiar, and he turned in time to see Chocolate Drop beginning her performance, pulling Anitra in front of him, trying to keep her upright as she took rapid notes on her phone nodding to the music. 

She closed her eyes to take it in, and he was struck by how young she was. Easily Mark or Annabelle’s age, with none of the danger that came with being associated with him. He made a note to try to get her a real job with a decent agency before she got too involved. He couldn’t bear the thought of all the kids he cared about ending up like him.

The beat slowed into a crawl as the song ended, and the crowd cheered. “I think it’s your time to say something.” She said back to him. 

He nodded and let her start to lead him out of the crowd as another song started. Not Chocolate Drop, but another artist they were hoping to sign. “Wait, one more dance! We need this guy.”

Anitra paused, tilting her head before starting to nod to the beat. “I’ve heard of him. He’s new, but he’s gonna be huge.” 

He pulled her back into his chest, and she rested her head there, obviously tired after working all night. “He’s going to be huge, and he’s going to be mine.”

She just chuckled at him, another small smirk stealing across her face. The two of them moved with each other, more comfortable than he’d been all night. He made a note to dance with her again some time, she was fun. The music pulsed around them, the more pop-like beat of the new song reviving the crowd. She yelled over her shoulder at him, “I want another raise for all this dancing, Victor. I’m a very popular girl, I don’t spend time with just anyone.”

He laughed in her ear, “Well, thank you for gracing me with your presence. How lucky am I?” 

“Impossibly lucky and very ungrateful.”

He shook his head, still moving to the beat, “Not for a moment, dear.”

She muttered something unintelligible, and he made sure to keep a hand on her. He could almost feel the exhaustion hit her as the song began to wind down, and he moved them both forward. The night was almost over, anyway. Not much more for a young reporter to cover. He was just about to suggest that she go home, when he spotted a flash of blue outside of the crowd. 

He tilted his head curiously as they pushed forward. As that got to the edges of the bodies, he got a better look at her. Nelli watched him, or him and Anitra more accurately, with uncanny precision. She had to have used Heightened Senses to even know where they were, the crowd was impossibly thick. Her face was unreadable, and as they got closer, she made no move to greet them. Anitra seemed to regain some strength as they left the dance floor, only pausing the take off her heels. 

“I think I’m spent for the night, Boss. I’ll talk to you in the morning?” 

He nodded, “I can have one of the guys take you home before the crowd starts to disperse.”

She sighed in relief, rubbing at her neck. “You’re a lifesaver, I appreciate it.”

He gave her his signature smile, “Only the best for my rising star.” She shook her head, laughing a little. She leaned up against the dark glass of the main bar as she did her best to stretch her legs in her skirt. 

“Thanks for the dance, Boss.” She stepped forward and gave him a quick hug. He made a promise to himself that she would get to have a normal, human life as he felt her heart beating against him.

“It was, sincerely, my pleasure. Take care.”

She waved at him as he walked back towards where he last saw Nelli. She seemed to have disappeared from the dance floor entirely, and he gave up after a few scans of the crowd. He walked back up the stairs to the VIP floor, taking a mic to announce the launch of Chocolate Drop’s newest single on all the streaming platforms later that night. He played the crowd for a few minutes before he waved good night, and let the bartenders call the last round.

He took up residence at the bar again, looking to see if anyone important enough to talk to had stayed after the performance. Not finding anyone noteworthy, he looked for Nelli again. She looked so odd, he was hit with a sudden wave of fear. The Camarilla had no qualms about showing up at his club. It was entirely possible that some of their people would show up just for the hell of it, and Nelli used to be one of them. He tried to imagine Paulina and Rex in his club, and shuddered.

He stood to get a better look, only relaxing when he saw her moving back to her table. Brad stood as she approached, and he watched them talk for a few moments, before she kissed him and he made for the exit looking just as dejected as he had earlier. Victor laughed quietly to himself.

“Bye, Brad!” He called loudly, waving at the forlorn man.

Brad sighed, shoulders sinking even deeper. He gave him a two fingered salute as he headed for the exit. “Night, Victor.”

He grinned before looking back towards Nelli. She was watching him just as intensely, still wearing that strange expression. He made his way over to her, taking no offense when she pulled out her phone and started scrolling. He was used to her moods by now.

“Hey, how was Abrams? I didn’t see him leave,” he asked, pleased at the lack of hate in his voice.

She didn’t look at him, watching her phone with rapt attention. “Isaac was great. He left a while ago, you were too busy to say bye.”

He rolled his eyes, sliding into the booth next to her and stretching out. “Of course I was. He has great timing.” 

She ignored him, starting her scroll again and speaking to her phone. “Did you have fun?”

He nodded, “Yeah, it was a great launch. And I think we’re going to be signing a new artist soon, so we won all around.”

She nodded, and if he was any less attuned to her, he would have missed the way her knuckles tightened around her phone. He watched her for a long moment, trying to figure out if he offended her in some way.

He had been polite to Isaac, nice to Brad, he wasn’t wearing clashing patterns. He didn’t make a single bad joke over the mic, which was always an accomplishment. He racked his memory for something earlier in the evening and came back with nothing. He briefly considered that maybe Brad had pissed her off, but she’d kissed him goodbye and besides, she had been staring at him. 

“I saw you dancing earlier. It seemed like you were enjoying yourself.”

He stopped suddenly, trying to watch her without drawing attention. Her tone was off, and he wondered if Anitra had done something to piss her off. The two of them barely spoke. He couldn’t imagine the girl doing anything to offend Nelli. If anything, the last time he checked, Nelli was fond of her. Smart, pretty, well-dressed. She should’ve gotten the Griffith seal of approval along with the rest of the staff.

He watched her eyes flicker to his face before darting back to her phone and it clicked. He put on her favorite smile and leaned towards her, throwing his arm around the back of her chair. He tried to keep the obvious warmth out of his tone as he spoke. “Yeah, it was fun. I missed you, though. We could’ve shown these kids a thing or two.”

She rolled her eyes, watching him out of the corner of her eye before a little smile played on her lips. “Yeah, probably. No one knows how to Vogue properly these days.”

He 'tsked' lightly, shaking his head. “A tragedy. Next time, we’ll get out there and show them.”

She narrowed her eyes at him for a moment, and he watched a small smile bloom. He slowly rested his head on her shoulder. Sometimes, she hated closeness. He didn’t want to ruin things by pushing her too far. She rested her head on his and relief blossomed in his chest. “Next time for sure. You’ll have to save a dance for me.”

For once, he thought before he spoke. He could tell her that all his dances were for her. That he was hers for as long as she would have him. There wasn’t really a point, though. She already knew.

“Always,” he answered quietly.

She stilled and he held his breath. It wasn’t like he needed it.

“Promise?” She asked in an uncharacteristically small voice.

He turned his head towards her, waiting for her eyes to meet his.

“I promise.”

She stared at him before nodding, tilting forward to offer him the ghost of a kiss on the crown of his head before going back to her phone. He watched from her shoulder with a slight smile. The noise of the club began to die down outside of them, and she covered one of his hands with hers. Her voice was still quiet as she leaned over to whisper in his ear.

“Do we have to stay to close?” 

He sat up a little, eyeing her curiously. “Not at all. Did we have somewhere else to be?”

She pulled her hand back, straightening the top of her dress. She examined her nails as she spoke. “We still have some time. We could call it early, watch a movie or something.”

She checked over her appearance, using her phone like a mirror, purposely avoiding his face. He was nodding before she was done speaking.

“You wanna watch The Exorcism?”

She turned to glare at him as he began to slide out of the booth, reaching his hand out to help her up. “You always want to watch The Exorcism! Why don’t we watch something nice, like Dirty Dancing?”

He wrinkled his nose as he tucked her arm into his and began to guide her towards the private stairs that led to their suites, keeping her close.

“Not Dirty Dancing.”

He thought for a moment, Nelli’s usual tastes were a little too sappy for him and she could never seem to stay awake through his cult classics. He snapped as they walked, “Totoro, maybe? Or something like it. It’s a classic, and I know you’ve already seen Howl’s Moving Castle, so you’re gonna like it.”

She tilted her head for a moment, still smiling at people and waving occasionally. He took stock of everyone still left in this part of the club. It was nearing empty as people began to make their way out to the street, hoping to secure rides before traffic started to backup. He waved at a few people as he passed, not stopping to say any proper goodbyes.

The security guard pulled aside the rope sectioning off the private area of the VIP section. They walked past him, up to the door that led to the business areas of the club. Victor scanned his key card, pausing to hold the door open for her, and they began to head upstairs.

“Okay, Totoro sounds nice. Your place or mine?”

He knew what she was asking, and he had to stop himself from being selfish. There was a faint spark as he remembered Abrams' arm around her, but he smiled. “Wherever. Doesn’t matter.”

“Your place, then. Just give me a second to change, and I’ll meet you up there.” 

He stopped with her at the Thorn floor, pausing to kiss her hand. She rolled her eyes, but he knew her well enough to know that all the classic, old-style romancing made her happy. “I’ll be waiting.”

He walked up the flight of stairs to his floor alone, humming Chocolate Drop’s new single. He pushed past the offices and meeting rooms into a secluded hallway, guarded by a key card that only three people had a copy of. He went up the last few steps that opened up into a small landing. The landing was a soft gray, and boasted a large set of white, double doors. He pulled out a small ring of keys and opened one of the French doors.

He did a quick scan as he walked in and flipped the lights on. The entryway was clean. He kicked his shoes off and set them neatly by the door, turning more lights on as he made his way through the condo. She would turn them off on her way up. They’d done this before. 

He made his way into his bedroom, taking stock. His room was neat. The bed was made nicely, no clothes on the floor. There were no loose chains or rings on the dresser. He walked over to his nightstand, picking up the remote and turning on the TV that was mounted across from the bed. He scrolled for a few minutes before he found what he was looking for. He shrugged his jacket off and set it on the bed, going to the bathroom as he felt the Blush begin to fade.

The whiskey was just as unpleasant the second time, and the rum and coke was worse. He took a moment to brush his teeth, trying to carve the taste out of his mouth with his toothbrush. He took a moment to check himself out in the mirror, wiping the toothpaste from his chin. He looked normal. His skin was already paling and cooling. She wouldn’t think anything of it.

He made his way back out into his bedroom and to his closet, looking for something more appropriate for a movie night. He settled on some inoffensive, ridiculously expensive sweats and a plain white t-shirt. He went back to the bed, grabbing his jacket and hanging it up before he could get yelled at. He sorted the rest of his clothes to their respective laundry baskets and dry cleaning piles, wondering if he should try to steal Annabelle’s jacket one of these nights. The thing was starting to ferment, and he could swear he saw mold growing on one side. He was startled when he walked back into his bedroom.

She was already standing next to her side of the bed, pulling back the sheets. The sea of throw pillows had been set aside neatly to make room for them. She turned to watch him, looking expectant. “You’ve gotta stop doing that. I’m already dead and you’re going to kill me again with that serial killer pop up thing.”

She rolled her eyes and smiled at the bed, chuckling a little under her breath. “It’s not my fault your hearing is going bad, old man.”

 _“It’s not my fault your hearing is going bad,”_ he mimicked. “Yeah, whatever. My hearing's not bad, you’re just trying to kill me with that Michael Myers shit.”

He could hear her snort under her breath and laughed a little at himself. He tried to settle his nerves as he made his way over to his side of the bed, only pausing to turn off the lights. She was in something silk maybe, and thin. Ever practical, even her pajamas were shorts and a tank top. When they first met, she said it was in case she ever needed to move when she first woke up. Now, he knew that being prepared to run was just a part of who she was. 

He slid into bed, pausing to fluff his pillow before leaning back. She was on him in an instant, curling up underneath his arm, using him like a pillow. He got a face full of hair as she got comfortable on his chest and he tried to shield himself from it. She smacked his hand away before she threw her hair neatly over her shoulder.

He reached out with his free hand to grab the remote.

“Victor?”

He paused, looking down at her.

“Yeah?”

“Are you thinking about ghouling Anitra?”

He sat up, and she moved out of his embrace. He turned to stare at her, brow furrowed.

“Absolutely not. Why would you even think that?” He could feel a spike of fear at the thought. She was going to stay perfectly human if he had anything to do with it.

“I don’t know. She’s smart, she has a lot of connections, she’s ambitious. She would be useful, and you seem to like her well enough.” Nelli stared at her hands before she turned to look him in the eye. He could see the worry mixed with that same thing he’d seen earlier. It was so foreign to see her this way. Nelli had never been jealous when it came to Victor. She had no reason to be.

“Yeah, I do like her. I like her enough that I don’t want her to be a monster.”

Nelli frowned at him and he laid back down, pulling her with him. She settled stiffly into his chest. He reached for the remote again.

“We’re not that bad.”

He paused, running his fingers over the play button as he thought.

“ _We’re_ not that bad. Us, Annabelle, Jasper, Eva even. Sure. But everyone else? Fiona, Vannevar, Suzanne? They’re monsters and I don’t need anyone else to worry about. The three of you keep me busy. And besides,” he brushed his lips over her hair, “I already have you and Annabelle. I don’t really need any more women in my life, no offense.”

“None taken.”

They sat in silence. He could feel her thinking, so he tucked her in as he waited.

“Thank you, Victor. For taking care of us.”

He gave her a gentle squeeze. “Of course. Always. I love you.”

She squeezed him back, “I know.”

“Now can we try to watch some of this before the sun rises?”

She smacked him lightly, “Just start it already.”

He pointed the remote at the TV, finally hitting play. He set it down on the nightstand, before wrapping his other arm around her, resting his cheek on her head. On screen, a little spirit soldier marched across a sea of blue to the sound of fanfare.

**Author's Note:**

> This doesn't really seem like a story to me? It's more like a really long ficlet, but I don't know. It's not my best work, but progress is progress. Plus this is the July fic so ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


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